There is a conventionally known technique for limiting the intake air amount during execution of fuel-cut control so as to prevent the catalyst from being brought into a high temperature state and into a lean state.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-152942 (PTL 1) discloses a control device for an internal combustion engine which maximizes the utilization of high stability control by fuel-cut control while minimizing a decrease in comfort during driving, but still can prevent thermal deterioration and melting damage resulting from an excessive temperature rise of the catalyst for exhaust air purification. This control device for the internal combustion engine is characterized in that a catalyst for exhaust air purification is provided in the exhaust path of the internal combustion engine mounted in the vehicle, and the control device for the internal combustion engine limiting the engine speed of the internal combustion engine or the vehicle speed to a prescribed value or less includes catalyst temperature detecting means for detecting or estimating the catalyst temperature of the catalyst for exhaust air purification, and controlling means for imposing a limitation by fuel-cut control in the case where the catalyst temperature detected by the catalyst temperature detecting means is equal to or lower than a prescribed temperature, and for imposing a limitation by controlling the intake air amount in the case where the catalyst temperature is higher than the prescribed temperature.
The control device for the internal combustion engine disclosed in the above-described Patent Literature provides an advantage that, when limiting the engine speed of the internal combustion engine or the vehicle speed to an upper limit value or lower, the control device maximizes the utilization of high stability control by fuel-cut control while minimizing a decrease in comfort during driving, but still can prevent thermal deterioration and melting damage resulting from an excessive temperature rise of the catalyst for exhaust air purification.